Bios

Hugo Dante joined Washington Analysis in July 2023 as Financial Services Policy Analyst, Vice President. Hugo focuses on financial services and housing policy. Prior to joining Washington Analysis, Hugo held a cross-functional role role at Amazon Web Services as Market Insights & GTM Analyst for the International Financials and Digital Assets team, where he designed and deployed global go-to-market strategies supporting public sector financial institutions as they leverage digital assets, AI, data analytics, and blockchain solutions. Before Amazon, Hugo served as an Economist for the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, covering housing, banking, financial services, cryptocurrencies, and general economic policy. He has also worked in the Office of the Chief Economist at the American Bankers Association, and as an MA Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Hugo is currently pursuing his PhD in Economics at George Mason University, after earning his Master of Arts (M.A.) in Economics from the same institution. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in General Chemistry from the University of North Alabama, Honors College.

Jeff Goldberg joined Washington Analysis in April 2023 as a Special Situations Analyst with an emphasis on M&A, international trade, and other regulatory catalysts. Prior to joining Washington Analysis, Jeff worked as the Director of Regulatory Policy for the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), a trade association representing organizations constituting the defense industrial base. Before NDIA, Jeff spent the earlier part of his career working for various organizations situated in the aerospace, defense, and international trade sectors. Jeff has a M.A. in International Affairs from Penn State University, a B.A. in History from the University of Virginia, and completed an Executive Education Program in Global Business and Politics at Yale University’s School of Management.

Saad Kamal is a Senior Analyst at Washington Analysis covering Special Situations with a focus on binary events relating to deals, tax, legal, trade, or other regulatory catalysts.

Saad started his career at Lehman Brothers, working in their Global Mergers and Acquisitions group. Saad also worked at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the largest healthcare union in the United States, in the Capital Development Group focusing on healthcare investments. Prior to that, Saad worked at Knob Hill Partners, a Boston-based investment firm. Saad attended Middlebury College and Harvard Business School.

John Leppard is a Healthcare Analyst covering medical devices, health information technology, lab developed tests and individualize medicine, healthcare services, insurers, pharmaceuticals, and Medicare Advantage and product coverage policy. He brings with him experience from the highest levels of government.

After completing his M.S. at George Mason University, focusing on healthcare business practices and policy, he moved to Washington, DC to work on those issues with the White House’s National Economic Council (NEC). Upon completion of his term at the NEC, he next moved to the Cato Institute, one of the nation’s more prominent think tanks, followed by Steptoe & Johnson’s healthcare lobbying team.

Following his extensive career in the public and private sector, John joined Washington Analysis in 2011. John is the co-author of several peer reviewed papers, ranging in topics from pharmacogenomic medicine to reimbursement reform, and has advised numerous congressional thought leaders.

Joe Lieber is Director of Research and Senior Political Analyst at Washington Analysis. In this capacity, Joe analyzes political and legislative issues that have the potential to impact overall sentiment in the financial markets. Joe also handicaps national elections and has direct policy analyst responsibility for matters involving budget, taxes, transportation, gaming, and other one-off issues.

Joe joined Washington Analysis as a Political Analyst in 1995. From 1991-1995, he served as Policy Analyst for Senator Don Nickles at the Republican Policy Committee. He received his B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Oklahoma and his M.A in International Transactions from George Mason University.

Ira Loss is a Senior Health Care Analyst and was one of the original founders of Washington Analysis. For the past 45 years, Ira has been responsible for covering health care issues affecting the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries. Prior to 1973, Ira served as a senior policy analyst for the Government Research Corporation, as assistant counsel to the American Insurance Association, and as a legislative assistant to Congressman Emilio Daddario.

Ira is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in history. He received a law degree, with honors, from the National Law Center of George Washington University and is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.

Beth Mantz Steindecker is a Health Care Analyst covering health care service providers and health insurers. Her key areas of focus include Medicare reimbursement and coverage, the Affordable Care Act’s implementation/dismantling and related regulatory and legislative issues, federal Medicaid policy, and reforming federal healthcare entitlements.

Prior to joining Washington Analysis in 2022, Beth was the pharmaceutical and biotechnology reporter for the Dow Jones Newswires from 1998-2002. During this time many of her articles were published in national newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Kansas City Star, and Orange County Register. Beth’s career as a journalist culminated with her being awarded by NewsBios/TJFR Group, a business and financial press organization, the honor of being named in 2002 one of the “Top 30 journalists under 30.” Beth is also an attorney, retired from practice in New York State. She earned her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Art History and American History from the University of Pennsylvania.

Carter May joined Washington Analysis in 2022 as a Research Associate, working across a gamut of issue areas to support the analyst team. Prior to joining the firm, Carter worked as a Canvass Director at the Fund for the Public Interest and interned at government relations firm ML Strategies in a research role. He earned his B.A. of Political Science from Miami University in 2020.

Frank Oliveri is a Defense and Foreign Policy Analyst who joined Washington Analysis in 2014. Frank was an award-winning journalist for more than 25 years, the majority of which covering defense. For 10 years, he worked as a defense and foreign policy editor and reporter for Congressional Quarterly, one of the top policy publications in Washington, DC. He also has written for Defense News, Air Force Magazine, and Defense Daily, among others. He has covered the Pentagon, weapons acquisition, technology and development, and military strategy and doctrine.

Frank is an expert in the congressional process, specializing in the defense authorizing committees and appropriations writ large. He holds a B.S. from Southern Connecticut State University and a master’s from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Rob Rains joined Washington Analysis in April 2013 as an Energy Analyst with an emphasis on gas and electric utilities, renewable energy, energy infrastructure, including pipelines, liquefied natural gas, electric transmission, and deals in the sector. Prior to joining Washington Analysis, Rob worked for Capstone, another policy analysis firm. Before Capstone, Rob spent five years as a Sr. Government Relations Representative for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a trade association and global technical standards developer, focusing on energy and environmental issues. Rob began his career on Capitol Hill where he worked for Congressman Brian Baird and Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Rob earned his JD from The Catholic University of America and holds a B.A. in Political Science and English-Journalism from Miami University (Ohio).

Thomas (Tom) Seitz joined Washington Analysis in June 2014 and serves as a Senior TMT Analyst. He has been a sell side analyst covering the Telecom space for over 10 years at both Lehman Brothers and Jefferies & Co. Most recently he worked for Jefferies & Co. from 2011-2013 as managing director in equity research. His focus included telcos, wireless service providers, cable, and data center/cloud companies.

Before joining Jefferies & Co, he spent two years covering Washington issues, and was the Director of Research at a policy firm. In addition to his duties as DoR, he was a managing director and senior research analyst following the telecom, cable, media and tech sectors. Prior to that role, Tom was a senior vice-president at Lehman Brothers, and subsequently Barclays Capital, covering the telecom services sector in the equity research department for over eight years.

Numerous media and industry publications have cited Tom’s work. The Wall Street Journal, ranked Tom the #4 analyst for Telecom – Fixed Line, in its “Best on the Street” survey. The Lehman telecom services team was consistently ranked in Institutional Investor’s “All-America Research Team” for both wireline and wireless during Tom’s tenure.

John Sonsalla joined Washington Analysis in 2022 as Head of Strategy and Senior Financial Services Analyst, where he covers banking, payments, fintech, cryptocurrency, loan servicing, credit ratings, capital markets, housing, and higher education, among other issues. Previously, he worked in the Investment Banking and Capital Markets Division of Credit Suisse.

Before working in finance, John held numerous roles at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, one of the nation’s leading multi-client government relations firms, where he worked with an array of Fortune 500 corporations, investment firms, national trade associations, and nonprofit institutions. He also spent time in the office of Congressman Joe Sestak, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and a national trade association.

John has worked on and managed campaigns and party conventions at the federal, state, and local level. John received his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his B.A. from the School of Public Affairs at American University.

Whitney Stanco is a Senior Energy Analyst covering legislative, regulatory, foreign policy, tax and legal issues affecting the sector. Her key areas of focus are oil and gas upstream, midstream, and downstream, as well as transportation, clean energy tax, and markets.

Prior to joining the firm, Whitney was a Senior Advisor at The Rapidan Group, where she covered U.S. policy in the context of energy markets. In addition, she advised institutional investor clients on clean tech, electricity, and oil and gas policy issues for nine years at the Washington Research Group.

Whitney previously worked as a consultant for BP in Houston, and for Accenture in Germany. A native of West Texas, she received her B.B.A in Management Information Systems from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.A. in International Relations with concentrations in energy economics and finance at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Ryan Visnovec joined Washington Analysis in 2021 as a Research Assistant, where he works across sectors, including financial services, healthcare, defense, and telecommunications. Prior to joining the firm, Ryan gained experience at the Hall Street Fund and The Stillman Exchange. Ryan graduated from Seton Hall University with a B.S. of Science, Finance, Spanish, and Journalism

Christoph Zimmerman covers Special Situations, including events related to tax, trade, and regulatory catalysts of consumer products, industrials, transportation, and agriculture. Prior to joining the firm, Christoph gain experience on Capitol Hill in the office of Congressman Robert Pittenger. Christoph studied at The George Washington University School of Business, where he received a B.B.A in Business Economics and Public Policy. He joined Washington Analysis in 2019.

Christina joined Washington Analysis in 2014 as research associate and editor after earning her bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Duke University. Previously, she interned at Soluciones Comunitarias in Guatemala, focusing on sustainable product sales and small business practices for indigenous populations, and ECONorthwest, an economic and financial consulting firm in Portland, Oregon.

Sydney joined Washington Analysis in 2021 as a sales assistant. She has held internships on Capitol Hill, in the non-profit space and on a local political campaign. Sydney received a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in International Relations and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

Adna joined Washington Analysis in 2023. She supports the sales team by coordinating with Analysts from the firm and external Speakers to create a program called Days in Washington. Adna has held previous research, events, and marketing roles in the public and private sector. Adna received her B.A. from Aarhus University and M.A. in Strategic Communications from American University.

David joined Washington Analysis from Morgan Stanley in 2008. Starting as a member of the sales team, he helped develop the Hedge Fund business at Washington Analysis, being promoted to Product Manager in 2014. In that role David has a portfolio of clients, but also works across research and sales on idea generation, communication’s strategy, and business development. He graduated with a double-major in Economics and Sociology from Concordia College.

Hayley joined Washington Analysis in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, she held positions on Capitol Hill. Hayley received a bachelor’s degree from American University.

Kaitlin joined Washington Analysis in 2011 as a Sales Assistant. She graduated with a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University.

Anthony joined Washington Analysis in 2022. Anthony has over two decades of experience in account management and institutional sales roles are numerous leading investment research firms. Anthony received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida.

Jessica joined Washington Analysis in 2000. She graduated with a degree in English Literature from The Catholic University of America.